University of New South Wales (Canberra) Professor Greg Austin said we have every reason to be alarmed with rising tensions across the Middle East, the Korean peninsula and Ukraine.

'Russia and China are co-operating over the Korean peninsula but the bad sign here is they are doing a Trump by trying to make things great again. The other big concern is Ukraine, which even though the stand-off is stable, Russia remains intent on punishing its government,'he said.

Writing in the Independent's Voices section, Deputy Managing Editor Sean O'Grady argues the world is facing a dangerous and potentially devastating second Cold War.